Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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196. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason a new Employment Regulation Order for the security guarding sector, which will increase the minimum hourly rate of pay, is being decoupled from a link to the national minimum wage, which means the pay for workers in the sector would not increase consequentially with increases in the national minimum wage; if he will reverse this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28283/24]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Minister Higgins approved the new ERO for the Security Industry on 13 June 2024 and it is due to commence on 1 July 2024. The full details of the ERO will be made available to the public on the Department’s website.

Under legislation the statutory role of the Minister in the ERO process is clearly defined. As soon as practicable after receiving a copy of the proposals from the Labour Court, where she is satisfied that Sections 42A and 42B of the Industrial Relations Act 1946 have been complied with, and where she considers it appropriate to do so, she will make an Employment Regulation Order giving effect to the proposals; or should the Minister refuse to make such an Order, she must notify the Court as to the reasons why.

The terms and conditions contained in an Employment Regulation Order are independently negotiated at the Security Industry Joint Labour Committee by representatives of workers and employers and sent to the Minister for approval by the Labour Court. Minister Higgins received the recommendation for this ERO from the Labour Court on 4^th June 2024.